The present invention relates generally to traffic signs, and more particularly to traffic signs that can be deployed without assembly of the traffic sign at a desired display location.
Of major importance today, due to our society's dependence upon motorized transportation, is the continuing construction, repair, and maintenance of freeways, highways, and roads. Involved in all such construction, repair, and maintenance are traffic signs for placement on the roadside ahead of the job site, where motorists can be warned of the presence of road construction equipment, personnel, or hazardous conditions as they approach the work site. To provide motorists with such notification or warning, it is necessary that one or more traffic signs be displayed along the roadside, such signs being located well in advance of the road construction or repair project. One type of traffic sign that is commonly placed along the roadside is the so-called and art-recognized roll-up sign. Examples of prior art roll-up signs are described, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,271 (Laminer), U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,379 (Marketing Displays, Inc.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,601 (Dicke Tool Co.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,911 (TrafFix Devices, Inc.). These prior art roll-up signs typically comprise a support stand, such as a one-piece base or a plurality of supporting legs coupled to a frame, and a reflective and flexible sign, which is attached to the frame.
A typical process for placing prior art roll-up traffic safety signs is to deliver a disassembled roll-up sign and support stand to a desired location along a roadside. A worker will then assemble the roll-up sign system and correctly place the sign so that it is properly displayed to passing motorists. Although attempts have been made to simplify this assembly process, most notably in the system disclosed in the '911 patent, present approaches still require delivery of a disassembled roll-up sign package to a desired location, followed by the exertion of manual labor, on-site, to assemble and place these roll-up signs. Thus, a first drawback of current roll-up signs is the required time and labor to assemble and place the signs. A second drawback is that the assembly task poses safety concerns to the worker, because the assembly process typically takes place along a roadside with passing vehicular traffic. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a roll-up sign system which could be deployed without the need for roadside assembly.